AJ Nicassio and Nathan Powell proved to be reliable in many ways throughout the season for the Flintridge Prep boys’ volleyball team.

The seniors were expected to stabilize the young Rebels, who looked to continue their mastery in the Prep League and be in line to make a deep run in the postseason, while also providing punch on offense and defense.

Nicassio and Powell ended their high school careers on a positive note as they were bestowed with All-CIF Southern Section Division IV first-team recognition after the CIF office unveiled its teams for all six divisions Thursday.

Flintridge Prep finished 25-5, 8-0 in league and lost in five sets to Windward in a CIF Southern Section Division semifinal road match. The Rebels captured their seventh straight league championship.

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Nicassio, who was named the league’s most valuable player for the third straight season and is a reigning All-Area pick, contributed a team-leading 496 kills and added 306 digs and 69 aces. The outside hitter finished with more than a 1,000 career kills with the Rebels and registered a .476 hitting percentage.

“AJ was one of our go-to players and he did everything well,” Flintridge Prep coach Sean Beattie said. “He’s been extremely consistent, not just this year but in all four years with us.

“He’s the type of player that doesn’t come around that often. We were lucky to have him and he always made our teams better.”

Charles Rich is a sports writer for the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader and La Cañada Valley Sun. He started covering area high school and college sports in 2000. Rich grew up in Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., and graduated from California State University Northridge.